IPL top teams Rajasthan royals, Gujarat Titans all set to battle for lead

Little separates Rajasthan Royals and the Gujarat Titans after four games in the 2022 edition. They're both tied on 6 points with three wins and a loss. Between both captains, Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya, they've won just the one toss; RR are yet to chase in the tournament.

But most significantly, both sides' pacers have dominated the powerplay phase this season with Trent Boult & Prasidh Krishna for RR, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya and Lockie Ferguson for GT. RR's pacers have picked up 8 wickets, averaging 14.25, while GT's have 9 wickets at 17.00. Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal have been the most positive bowlers in the middle overs since IPL 2017, averaging 20.21 and 20.97 with 70 and 60 wickets respectively.

Gujarat, meanwhile, were handed their first loss of the season after an eight-wicket trouncing at the hands of the Sunrisers Hyderabad. One aspect that has hurt GT has been their opening stand which hasn't survived a powerplay so far. In the four games, their first-wicket stands have been worth: 4, 2, 32 and 24. Left-hander Sai Sudarshan batting at No.3 now provides break in the run of right-handers at the top. Matthew Wade will likely make way for Rahmanullah Gurbaz, considering his inability to get starts so far and factoring in the latter's superior record in Asia. Gurbaz, in 68 innings, has a  total 1620 runs at an average of 24.17, striking at a dangerous 151.82 as opposed to Wade's 93.36. The middle-order too has been needing to get among the runs with David Miller yet to fire.

Samson too has had little success after the first game; it's evident he's struggling when pace is taken off in what has been his slowest start to a season in the last six years. His game has been found wanting on slower tracks in the past, and with tracks set to slow down as the season progress, his form could be a cause of concern for the Royals. Shimron Hetmyer's display of power and skill in the death, though, has done RR a world of good. He's striking at close to 200 and has contributed in all four games so far. Gujarat will want to contain him in the death, with Rashid having the wood over him, but GT may have vital strategic decisions to make as to how Rashid should be used.